David Dragoo: Congress must #SaveLWCF

With elections behind us, Congress is reconvening for its "lame duck" session. One of its first orders of business should be to permanently reauthorize our nation's most successful outdoor recreation program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Over its more than 50 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund invested over $16 billion to protect valuable habitats, expand access to America's public lands and support local projects for outdoor recreation. Close to home, the fund has helped Colorado with investments of more than $268 million — from protecting the Ophir Valley above Telluride, to securing key inholdings at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, to supporting the community Riverwalk in Pagosa Springs.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has done this without busting the federal budget — relying on revenue generated by the success of America's energy sector, not taxpayer dollars. Yet, despite bipartisan support and a long track record of success, Congressional gridlock allowed the fund to expire on Sept. 30.

Protecting our outdoor resources isn't just about the environment and our quality of life; it is also an investment in our state's economy. Outdoor recreation in Colorado generates a whopping $62.5 billion in economic activity and supports 511,000 jobs.

For businesses like Mayfly, the great outdoors is our corporate infrastructure, allowing us to invest in our companies, our workforce and our communities.

Senators Bennet and Gardner and Congressman Tipton have all supported permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Now it is time for them, and the rest of Congress, to finish the job and #SaveLWCF.